Neil Godfrey Talks About Life in Armstrongism and Learning To Think For Himself

Former WCG member Neil Godfrey writes about his life in Armstrongism and his awakening that led to his exit from the cult on the Vridar: Musings on biblical studies, politics, religion, ethics, human nature, tidbits from science web site.

A New Life

That’s the short version of a long story. I was actually disfellowshipped three times before I left for good. My last years were critical of the church leadership and the way they treated members. They were also critical of an outfit that could ruin people’s lives by insisting on teaching certain doctrines yet turn around and say those doctrines were wrong and we’re sorry, etc . . . and expect us all to continue to be loyal members!

From there I returned to the more uplifting and open form of worship I had grown up with. I attended Anglican and liberal Baptist churches for a time, and a few others, including a Roman Catholic one, until I found the most comfortable one for me and my kids.

I was certainly no atheist. Perish the thought. I remained a devout Christian, but one that did not look to any organization or church as an authority. Salvation and conversion was a personal matter between the believer and God. It was a happy, fulfilling time. I still look back with respect on my years in those liberal churches.

The move towards atheism was another story that came later. Before then I read widely on cults and other fundamentalist churches and was surprised to learn how common my own experiences had been. I formed a little “cult veterans support group” or support group for ex-cultists. Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, other weirdo ones I can’t recall now — we were all astonished at how alike our experiences had been. While immersed in the cult we had been conditioned to think of ourselves as unique. All of that fell away and it was great for all of us to compare notes and discuss positive ways forward.

UCG Split Has Happened!!!!

Here is the new UCG split that happened today!  Now this is one I can join! 

Tenets of Baconism

1. In the beginning there was the Big Bang, which begat all of time and space. Eventually sacrificial pigs evolved and the god of bacon did come to be.
2. Bacon is our god, bacon is not jealous, you may have other gods or no gods before bacon.
3. All baconism requires of you is the love of the smell of bacon. You need not even participate in the most holy sacrament of eating bacon, though that’d be weird.
4. It would be nice if, as some other religions teach, you would love your neighbor and be a generally nice, moral person.
5. We are entirely different from those who worship the Flying Spaghetti Monster, for we prefer our pasta on top of our bacon, while they prefer their bacon on top of their pasta. But that’s cool. Again, we accept everyone who loves the smell of bacon. Also, bacon is real.
6. As you would not have anyone steal your bacon, baconists shall not tolerate the personal violation of any other person.
7. Bacon never reveals it’s gender. When sizzling Prophet John was unable to determine the sound was that of a sensitive male or assertive female. It seemed the more you turned up the heat, the more aggressive bacon got. But the Prophet John knows it is not an important question, knowing that the only requirement of baconism is the love of the smell of bacon.
8. Baconists love those of all races, backgrounds, sexual orientations, genders and beliefs, and they in turn love the divine smell. The smell of bacon is bestowed equally on all people (except those who have no sense of smell, for whom baconists feel much pity)
9. Unlike the churches of other religions, baconists pay taxes and do not ask for donations, unless it is to subsidize the pork industry.
10. Always keep learning. Accept new scientific findings, as need be. May Reason and Evidence guide you.

Ron Weinland: Creation Will Be Completed When My Followers Are Birthed Into Elohim's

The longer Ron Weinland sits in prison the crazier the dude gets!  His latest missal is all about control of his few remaining followers by promising them that if they remain  true to his teachings then they will become Elohim's.

...thus, such a person is ready for birth into Elohim, even though they may have several more years of human life remaining. That amount of time depends on God’s purpose for further “work” He may have for them to accomplish. God may also give them longer life in order to mold and fashion them to fit into a specific place of function within His Family.

Of course these few chosen to be Elohim's are the chosen by got out of all of Christianity to be part of the 144,000.  Throughout the ages since Adam there have only been 144,000 loyal COG members who have been chosen to become Elohim's.

This has been the state of every person who has ever been “sealed” as one of the 144,000. At some point in their life they became sealed, which means they became spiritually “set” at-one with God, and then they lived, or are living, out the remainder of their life in that state of guaranteed birth into Elohim in the first resurrection.

When Ron's followers (only those followers whoa re part of the 144,000) have reached a higher level of consciousness then they are "set" and will be Elohim's and creation will have been completed

Indeed, this sealing of each one of the 144,000 was a “sealing” into Elohim, although they may have had many years of physical life remaining after they became “set,” or “sealed”. Once a person became sealed (when the mind became set in spirit), this marked the completion of a spiritual creation – the completed transformation of the human mind from carnal motivation to spiritual motivation as a result of a “set will” being at-one with God, in full agreement with God.

Then to scare his followers he lets them know that if ANY of them go against him then they are NOT "set" and their salvation is at stake.

The spirit in man does not become instantly “set” when someone chooses to go against God by disobeying and/or living against God’s way, even if by ignorance (no knowledge) of God’s truth.

The spirit in man can become “set against” God as a result of personal choice at some point following begettal (usually much later). There are people who have been begotten who have made the free-will decision that they do not want God’s ways and prefer to live out their life in opposition to God’s purpose and instead follow the way of pride, selfishness, and lust.  

Weinland has had a huge serious of defections over the last year of his prophetic 3 1/2 year prison sentence.  Long trusted "elder's" and long time members have left or are in the process of leaving.  The more Ron's wife -the second Witless Witness - his money laundering daughter and Beamer loving Jeremy travel around the world at members expense the more angry people are getting.

One has to wonder which Elohim's Ron's cult members are being birthed into.  Elohim was prominent in pagan tribes before the Hebrews used it.  Also, pagan nations had lot's of "El's" running around before the Hebrews appropriated that name too.